Confidence Booster: Seabreeze shows out in 7-on-7 scrimmage at Pedro Menendez

Sandcrabs head football coach Pat Brown entered his first spring practice with Seabreeze with a focus on competing hard and finishing games.

The Sandcrabs played against Eau Gallie, a team they lost to 47-7 during the 2018 regular season, for their annual spring game on May 16, capping off spring practice with a 31-14 loss to the Commodores.

“Coach Brown knows what he’s doing. He’s showing us the way.”

 

Latrae Bass, Seabreeze football player

The Sandcrabs competed — but didn’t finish.

However, Seabreeze participated in its first 7-on-7 scrimmage of the summer on the morning of Wednesday, June 5, at Pedro Menendez High School. And for the first time in a while, the offense and defense were able to click.

Although the Sandcrabs still had momentary lapses, several players still made tough catches, athletic interceptions and pinpoint throws. Throughout the entirety of the camp — which saw the Sandcrabs square off against Matanzas, St. Joseph’s Academy and Pedro Menendez — there was no let down in intensity from Seabreeze.

“Our focus now is on finishing and then dominating,” Brown said. “This was good for our confidence. Now, we have to keep it rolling.”

The Sandcrabs had at least two interceptions in every game, and they picked off three passes against Matanzas. However, the play of the day (arguably) came from rising junior Chris Lewis, who played on both sides of the ball for Seabreeze during the scrimmage.

In Seabreeze’s final game of the day, against Pedro Menendez, Lewis shook the defensive back off the line. He ran a skinny post, with the DB a few steps behind him. Sandcrabs quarterback Blake Boda launched a pass 40 yards downfield into the end zone. Lewis leapt into the air and caught the ball over the outstretched hands of the defender.

Touchdown.

“It was good competition today,” Lewis said. “Our confidence was boosted way up.”

The Sandcrabs are scheduled to play in several more 7-on-7 events throughout the summer: on June 8 at Florida State University, on June 14 at the University of Florida, on June 15 at the University of Central Florida and on July 12 at University High School.

With each practice, each weight lifting session and each game, the Sandcrabs are getting bigger, faster, stronger and more ready for the upcoming season under their new head coach.

“Coach Brown knows what he’s doing,” rising senior Latrae Bass said. “He’s showing us the way.”